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San Jose Marine reservist refuses to go to war
Funk, said that the military does not plan on charging him; he will be on restricted duty, working a desk job at the base in San Jose while officials consider his application for discharge
On Tuesday morning Stephen Funk, a gay U.S. Marine Corps reservist, surrendered himself to military authorities in San Jose, Calif., after he spent a month of unauthorized absence from military duty while completing his application to be discharged as a conscientious objector.
"I cannot in good conscience take part in war," said 20-year-old Funk. "I object to war because I believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence."
Funk enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2002 and spent six months in boot camp. When the order for his activation came in February 2003, Funk did not appear for duty. He said that at the time he had just recently learned about becoming a conscientious objector and was still working on his application.
Aimee Allison, a former Army combat medic who became a conscientious objector in 1992 and is assisting Funk, said that the military does not plan on charging him; he will be on restricted duty, working a desk job at the base in San Jose while officials consider his application for discharge
more
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/article.html?date=2003/04/01/1
"I cannot in good conscience take part in war," said 20-year-old Funk. "I object to war because I believe that it is impossible to achieve peace through violence."
Funk enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 2002 and spent six months in boot camp. When the order for his activation came in February 2003, Funk did not appear for duty. He said that at the time he had just recently learned about becoming a conscientious objector and was still working on his application.
Aimee Allison, a former Army combat medic who became a conscientious objector in 1992 and is assisting Funk, said that the military does not plan on charging him; he will be on restricted duty, working a desk job at the base in San Jose while officials consider his application for discharge
more
http://www.planetout.com/pno/news/article.html?date=2003/04/01/1
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Here is an mp3 file of an interview with Stephen Funk http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=6732
For more information:
http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=6732
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/AP-War-Conscientious-Objector.html
I talked to this guy at a protest outside city hall the other day and was very moved. He was AWOL, he said, and about to "turn himself in." If you haven't seen the NYT article there's a huge picture of him, and I think that by going public with his story he has made a huge impact. he signed up when he was a teenager who didn't know what to do, and has told the press that his recruiter just told him all the skills he would learn and how great the army would be, and never mentioned war at all... if you see the guy, shake his hand..
I talked to this guy at a protest outside city hall the other day and was very moved. He was AWOL, he said, and about to "turn himself in." If you haven't seen the NYT article there's a huge picture of him, and I think that by going public with his story he has made a huge impact. he signed up when he was a teenager who didn't know what to do, and has told the press that his recruiter just told him all the skills he would learn and how great the army would be, and never mentioned war at all... if you see the guy, shake his hand..
stephen funk is a different guy. the nyt article is about a different new CO i met, who was also stationed in San Jose.
> stephen funk is a different guy. the nyt article is about a different new CO i met
I made a mistake like that not long ago myself !
hahah
I made a mistake like that not long ago myself !
hahah
When is the last time any of you worked a job? Not too recently I'm betting, but anyway. Usually, when you go to work for an employer, the employer anticipates that you will do your job. Yes, that employer selfishly expects that you will turn up daily and flip burgers or teach children in return for your measily pay.
So, this gentleman wants out of the Army? Great! Pay back the free tuition the Army gave you. They trained you at their own expense and you are leaving. Give them back the money. You don't need it where you are going: military prison. You see, going AWOL is a punishable offense.
So, this gentleman wants out of the Army? Great! Pay back the free tuition the Army gave you. They trained you at their own expense and you are leaving. Give them back the money. You don't need it where you are going: military prison. You see, going AWOL is a punishable offense.
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